Five People You Meet in Heaven
by badprobiemcgee
Summary: Gibbs has been shot, he's in a coma and gets to talk to 5 people.  None that he chooses.  What do the people tell him to do, Stay or go back?  Does he have a chance at "life" again? Is this all a divine plan to reunite soulmates? Read and find out. :
1. Chapter 1

**Please just read this story. I'm new to this so any pointers you can give will be appreciated. I'm sorry for any OOC but I wrote this the best way I knew how. If you don't like it, please don't send flames, but reviews would be awesome. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS. All ownership rights belong to DB, CBS, and Paramount, etc. I am simply borrowing them for my own entertainment. I also do not own the book Five People You Meet in Heaven which belongs to Mitch Albom and I just used the idea as a little inspiration.**

**Read, Enjoy, and review. :)  
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**Prologue**

The team has just stormed into a building of a known drug dealer. Gibbs is the first to be spotted while the rest of the team are easing their way into the room. Gibbs calls out first, "Freeze, NCIS! Put your weapons on the ground and your hands on your heads!" The drug dealers laugh for they do not realize that there are more people there with him. The ring leader of the group turns and fires at Gibbs. Despite having on a bullet-proof vest, the bullet still penetrates and nicks Gibbs through his left upper chest, just another inch lower and Gibbs surviving long enough for his pulse to be checked would be futile.

Tony and Ziva are swift with shooting the man who has gotten a round into Gibbs. The other culprits drop their weapons and place their hands on their heads. Tim kicks their guns to where they will not be able to reach them while he rushs over to where Gibbs is now lying in the floor. Tim realizes that Gibbs has almost lost consciousness and starts to apply pressure to the wound. "Guys, Gibbs has lost consciousness. We need to get an ambulance fast."

Ziva is already on the phone with 9-1-1. "-We need an ambulance here quick. There is a man who has been shot. He has lost a lot of blood and he is no longer conscious." Ziva ends her phone call and turns to the men that are in the car. "Tony, how about you and I take our suspects in while McGee takes care of Gibbs? The paramedics should be here soon and then we can go to the hospital to see how he is doing." As Ziva finishes this statement the siren from the ambulance can be heard pulling up outside.

The paramedics rush over to Gibbs and load him onto the gurney. McGee steps out of their way so they can do what they must. Finally, after they have Gibbs back to the ambulance, McGee jumps into the back and motions for Ziva and Tony to take care of the others. They turn to the vehicle. This time Tony throws the keys to Ziva without speaking any words, because he just wants to get things taken care of soon so that he can be there when Gibbs gets out of surgery.

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A little while later at the hospital, the entire team has assembled at the hospital including Abby, Ducky, and Palmer. Abby has become a nervous wreck and is clutching to McGee, who has changed into a pair of scrubs upon arriving at the hospital for his clothes are covered in Gibbs blood. Abby's sobs are slowly becoming less words and more babble as the time rolls on. Ziva is leaning against Tony while she sleeps in the chair. Tony has wrapped his arms around Ziva's shoulders and is pulling her closer to him while maintaining a face of steel and concern. Ducky is pacing around trying to be patient while he waits for the doctor to come out and give them the details on Gibbs's condition. Palmer is at a loss for what he should be doing. He just looks down at the floor and worries about how long until they hear any news.

At about this time, the doctor finally walks out and asks, "Family of Mr. Leroy Gibbs?" The team all jump up and the doctor's speaking. Ziva turns to stare at Tony for she has just realized how they were lying on the chairs together. Abby is still in McGee's arms for she refuses to allow him to take his arms from around her. Ducky has turned his full attention to the doctor along with Palmer directly beside him standing as if he is in the military.

"We are the family of Agent Gibbs," Ducky replies while hoping that the doctor does not actually question them, because he knows he would not be able to lie at this point for he is too exhausted from the worry.

"Well, sir. We have successfully got the bullet out. There were no complications with the surgery. He should be fine physically within the next few weeks. We are however a little concerned about his mental state," the doctor informs them while staring at each of them noting that while they could all be family, he is not really believing it.

"Excuse me, doctor. What do you mean by he will be fine physically but you're concerned about him 'mentally'?" Tony asked while the fear becoming more evident on his face. Abby begins to clutch McGee more closely to her and her sobs are barely being suppressed.

The doctor turns towards Tony, and stops to consider the best words to say. He finally speaks, "I am sorry to say this, but Agent Gibbs is in a coma. We figured he would awake after the surgery, but when he did not, we ran some tests. We have analyzed the tests, and they all turn up with nothing being out of place. The problem is something within his thoughts. We will continue to monitor for any signs of him awaking. You all are able to go in and see him now if you wish." After this the doctor turns and walks away for he feels that this "family" needs a moment to themselves.

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In Gibbs' room, none of the team knows quite what to say. They all remember the last time Gibbs was in a coma with no reason besides the psychological one. They all stand back a little ways for they are afraid to go any nearer because of the machines attached to Gibbs believing that if anyone goes nearer, then they are admitting that their boss has the ability to be that weak. They are all standing there until Abby finally decides that she doesn't want "Papa Bear" to be alone anymore and sits next to his bed. She grabs onto his hand as if it is a lifeline when there is a mumbling coming from the man on the bed. The rest of the team doesn't hear it, but Abby does and what she hears scares her for the name she just heard Gibbs utter is of a woman no longer living. "Shannon-", Gibbs mutters again still only audible by Abby.

**Now you've read it, should I continue or not?** **Let me know. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry this has taken so long to update everybody. I meant to have this up weeks ago, but do to unforeseen car wreck it took a little longer. I would love to thank everyone who has shown support. Thanks for all the reviews/alerts/just reading. I know I'm not the best writer so please feel free to critique my writing. I'm hoping this is better than my last chapter. Please read and review. :)**

**Disclaimer: If I owned NCIS, do you think I would be writing fanfiction instead of a script?**

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**Shannon**

"Shannon?" Gibbs asks his first wife. "Am I dead?" Gibbs is standing stock still for he is afraid that maybe a light does not show up first and that maybe you just embrace your loved ones long since gone and you are then initiated into the eternal throng of angels.

"Yeah, Gibbs. It's me, Shannon. Don't worry though, you're not dead. Well at least not yet. The decision of whether you live or die is still up to you," Shannon tells Gibbs. He still stands away from her because now that he knows who he is speaking with. "Don't worry, Jethro. You can come to where I am. Coming over to me is in no way going to affect your fate. Only your mental actions can do that."

Upon hearing this Gibbs walks over to her and says, "God, I've missed you, Shan. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. Can you ever forgive me?" The tears begin to rush down his face in a very un-Gibbs like way.

Shannon embraces him back. "Oh, Gibbs. Don't tell me that my rock solid marine has begun to show emotion? Now you haven't gone soft on me have you?" she chuckles while pulling him away a little so she can get a better look at him. "You don't have anything to apologize for, honey. It was my time to go. I know we had a plan for the future, but sometimes life throws us a curveball but we have to just move on with life. Don't worry I have taken good care of our little girl."

Gibbs is crying in earnest now. He reaches out for Shannon again, because while he is here, wherever here is, he wants to get as much time with Shannon as he possibly can. She just holds him while he cries and until he can find the proper words to say to her now. "Oh Shannon, how am I supposed to move on with my life? There is nothing in my life but my job and my team. They can do without me though. I left before and they were able to manage just fine. Can't I just stay here and we can all be a family again?"

"Gibbs, you get to choose whether you go or you stay while I love you, I don't want you to stay." Shannon says and is then interrupted by Gibbs trying to butt into the conversation. "Let me finish and then you can speak again." Gibbs shuts his mouth and patiently waits out Shannon's dialogue. "Thank you. Now as I was saying, I love you, but I don't want you to stay here permanently or at least not yet. You still have more to do and live in your life. It's not your time yet. NCIS still needs you Jethro. Your team still needs you." She finally ends and turns to look at him.

Gibbs is lost at the words that his wife has just said to him. "Shannon, I think the world can do without another ex-jarhead who still believes that he can do anything. NCIS has several excellent agents. Believe me they don't need me. And as for the team, they can handle without me. Tony has really turned into quite the agent, McGee has turned out to be a damn good agent too. They fuss and fight a lot, but that's what makes them who they are. Ziva is there to separate them, if anything gets to be too much. I believe that I'm leaving the agency in good hands if I don't go back."

"Gibbs! No, you say that the team is ready, but you have forgotten some of the key members of the team, Ducky and Abby. Ducky and you have been friends for many years. Do you not remember how upset he became when he found out that you hadn't told him about Kelly and me. Not to mention when you retired he wouldn't speak to you civilly for a long time after you came back." Gibbs is taking in the words that Shannon is speaking and all he can manage to do is nod and stand in awe of her stern tone. Shannon continues, " And don't you realize what your leaving would do to Abby?! She views you as a father. Just imagine if that were Kelly. Would you want her to have to live through and deal with that? All of the team views you as a surrogate father." Gibbs again opens his mouth to interrupt Shannon, and this time she lets him.

"Not all of the team views me as a father. I mean they all have families, maybe not the best in the world, but I'm not the best person for them to choose to be a father figure. I mean, hell, I couldn't even protect my own daughter from being killed," Gibbs finishes his rant for Shannon is giving him a glare that only someone who has been married or seriously involved with him could possess.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs! Do not sell yourself short. That entire team views you as a father, and it doesn't matter to them that you aren't perfect or that you can't always protect them. I mean think about this, Tony's dad cut him off from his entire inheritance when he was 12 years old except for a trust fund his mother had set up for him. His father didn't even care what happened to him, constantly getting remarried and not worrying about how it affected little Tony. He didn't care about Tony until he needed him to bail him out of a financial crunch. Now McGee, sure, his family is a great family, but they aren't always near where he can have them. You have trained McGee and taught him how to defend himself. You have helped make him into a stronger person and supported him when things aren't going exactly right. You are a surrogate father to him, for while his father isn't there, you are. Ziva is the one that has really adopted you though. Who saved her from that prison cell in Somalia? She protected you from her brother by killing him. She never thought twice, and it was all to protect you. Her genetic father sent her on a suicide mission that he knew she would never return from, but you went and brought her back. That team is your family too. You can't just turn your back on them," Shannon finally finishes preaching to Gibbs. Gibbs is lost in a state of pure thought over the words that she has spoken. He stares at her for a few minutes while she glares directly back at him in a way that says she is daring him to argue with her.

"Shannon, they may be my family, but you and Kelly came first. You are my family first and foremost. I missed out on so much of her life and I just want a chance to get it all back. Please don't ask me to leave, because I don't think I could do it," upon finishing this statement, Gibbs is near tears again at being asked to leave Shannon.

Shannon pulls him to her and wraps him in a tight hug. "Jethro, I know this is hard for you now, but I'm only the first of five people that you are going to speak with. After you speak with the rest of them, then you can decide about how you want to live or if you are ready to give up your life."

"Okay, I will wait to make my decision, but not much can change my mind. I will talk to the other four, but I've got to ask this question. Where exactly am I?" Gibbs asks while finally taking the chance to take in his surroundings. He glances around and sees that the space he currently abides looks a lot like a place from his past.

"Well I'll let you know this much, everyone you meet here, will be in the place where you first met or spoke with them. While this is only a small gateway between Heaven and Earth. It's where people go when they are trying to decide whether they want to live or die. In case, if you haven't realized though, we're at the train station in Stillwater." Shannon pulls him closer to her and kisses him very gentle at first but then Gibbs decides that he wants more. Gibbs turns the kiss more heatedly when Shannon starts to disappear and the scenery changes. All he hears is a soft _I love you_ being whispered as if it were the wind.

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**Now that you've read it please let me know how you liked it. And if anyone wants to steal my idea and write a better story please feel free, because I would love to know what this idea would sound like written by a real author. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Well this chapter is getting up a lot faster than the last one. I want to thank everyone who has read/alert/review. Thanks to everyone who stuck with me slight hiatus and read. A special thanks to Levana Fay He'sMines who encouraged me to keep writing this.I love any and all feedback.  
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**Kate**

Upon arriving at his new surroundings, Gibbs is thrown off kilter and must be able to get himself back on track before his next visitor arrives. He looks around and notices that he knows what this place is, but he just can't place who it is that would be here. He looks and sees that there are plane seats and the make of it reminds him of a high class plane. He has just about figured out his surroundings when he hears, "Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs." He jumps his head around because he recognizes the voice, but he doesn't see the owner just quite yet. "Welcome to Air Force One. I'll be your stewardess this fine afternoon."

"Kate? Is that you?" Gibbs says while finally looking around and noticing her behind him. When he first sees her, he cannot believe that she is there. He is still under the illusion that this is all a dream that he will wake up from and none of it would have been real. Kate has reached out for Gibbs' hand as a way of reassurance to him.

"Yeah, Gibbs, this is me. You are looking pretty good for a man who is knocking at Death's door right now. How has the team been since I left? I know that Ziva took my spot on the team, and the last I heard she was a really good fit," Kate says while trying to snap Gibbs out of his state of awe and confusion.

Gibbs finally realizes that he needs to say something and the first thing he can think of is, "I'm so sorry, Kate. You shouldn't be here. This should be me here instead of you. That bastard should never have had a chance to shoot at you. He used you to get back at me, and I'm sorry. Can you ever forgive me?"

Kate shushes Gibbs. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm happy here. These things had to happen this way. Now how are Tony and McGee?" Gibbs cannot believe that she is not angry at him. All this time he thought Kate would hate him for what happened to her on account of his and Ari's feuding, but yet he can tell by her eyes she is fine with the way things turned out.

"The team is fine. Tony has had a few problems, but he's made it through. There for a while we thought he might go crazy like when Jen died while he was supposed to be guarding her. He also hit a rough spell when he thought that Ziva had died while in Somalia, but he is a fighter and was able to make it through everything and even helped to save Ziva. Now McGee, he has come a long way in the past years. He has become an excellent agent. I'm proud to say he is on my team. He wrote a book not long after you died, and he dedicated it to you. He called you his 'Sweet Superhero'," Gibbs finishes his revere of the team after this he begins to really look at Kate. "You look good, Kate. How has it been treating you up here?"

"Well Gibbs, I have been doing really great. At first, I was mad at Ari for killing me, but we came to an understanding not long after I got here. We are actually really good friends. He apologized and then he explained why he did the things he did, and well his intentions were noble. That however is not my story to tell," Kate ends her story and then she turns back to Gibbs. "Gibbs, one thing you need to do, is maybe relax some of your rules."

"What do you mean by I need to relax my rules? I've had the same rules for a long time now. I'm not just going to start changing them now," Gibbs tells her defiantly. He is now glaring at her as if asking her to challenge his decision on his rules.

"I'm not saying you need to relax on all of them, just one in particular. You also can't tell me that you've always had this rule either. Up here in Heaven, we often discuss things that we never quite understood in our lives," Kate says and then glares back at Gibbs in a stare that tells him he is no longer her leader and that she does not need to obey what he said.

"What rule are you talking about? My rules all exist for a reason and if I relaxed on anyone of them, it could mean something terrible could happen to my team, Kate. I underestimated Ari and it got you killed, I'm not going to take any more chances," Gibbs responds just as fiercely.

"Gibbs, the rule I'm talking about is rule twelve. You need to allow your team a chance to find love even if it does come from within the people they work with. You may not like it now, but someday, you will understand as to why there's nothing wrong with finding love in the workplace. You and Jen may not have worked out the first time around, but that doesn't mean that some of your team wouldn't be able to make it work," Kate says in a way as if she were telling Gibbs to believe in love and hope for tomorrow again.

"Kate, this is a really nice speech, but I don't plan on going back. I can't go back when the people I want the most are here: Shannon, Kelly, and Jen. I can't go back and act like my life is worth living. So I'll take all of this and consider it, but I don't think I'll need to use it in my life," Gibbs says while turning away from Kate.

"I really hope you change your mind before you speak with the last person, but my time is almost up. So I'll leave you with one more word of advice, follow your heart," with that Kate pulls Gibbs into a hug and begins to disappear while the scenery starts to change on Gibbs again.

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**Now that you've read it, please review it. I will accept criticisms as long as you do it tactfully. I'll love reviews and it would majorly encourage me to keep writing. :) **


	4. Chapter 4

**I am so sorry everybody. I had meant to have this chapter up a long time ago. I had started working on it, but then my muse ran away or went to lunch or something. I finally got the chance to sit down and finish writing it today. I'm hoping that it runs together smoothly. If not I am truly sorry. This chapter is the longest I've written so far.**

**Disclaimer: I keep asking for somebody to buy it for me, but they just can't seem to find it anywhere. Unfortunately I don't own.**

**Now please, read and enjoy and feedback is appreciated. :)  
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**Ari**

The next thing Gibbs knows, he has yet again been swept into new surroundings. This time he recognizes the room a little faster. He glances around and sees the sliding doors, the coolers off to the side, and the metal tables. He feels a draft and then hears a voice that could only belong to one person. "Hello, Special Agent Gibbs. It has been a while since I saw you last. Have you been well?" Gibbs turns to the voice and connects a right hook with the man's face.

"Well I've been doing better than you, Ari. I'm still not dead yet," Gibbs responds smugly while gently shaking his hand to cool off the connection he just had with Ari's skin. "I'm sorry I didn't bring a better gift than that, but I kind of didn't expect to see you here. I figured you would be rotting in Hell somewhere."

"Now Gibbs, you are judging me unfairly. You must give me a chance to explain myself," Ari pleads in a tone of surety while he himself is also rubbing his jaw from the skin connection.

"I see no reason to speak with you. I believe a bullet was the end of our relationship. Now if you will excuse me, I have some people I need to see here so I can get back to my team," Gibbs says in a voice of finality while walking towards the autopsy doors which do not open for him.

"Those doors will not open. They are merely there for show. Speaking of your team, how is my dear little sister doing? I am hoping she is doing well." Gibbs has now turned and is simply staring at Ari as if he has grown another head. He cannot believe the audacity that this man has to even mention in Ziva. Ari continues on once he sees that Gibbs has turned to listen to him once again. "I had hoped she would join your team. After the few times Caitlin and I had run into one another, I knew your team was an excellent spot for Ziva to be. She had so much to learn."

Gibbs is becoming more livid by the moment that Ari continues to speak of Ziva as if he has the right. "What right do you have to speak of Ziva? You made her commit an act that has scarred her for the rest of her life. She believed that there was some good in you, and that is how you repay her? Some big brother you turned out to be," he attacks Ari's character in an act caused by his anger reaching its boiling point.

Ari is taken aback slightly by Gibbs attack, but soon recovers. "Gibbs, you misunderstand. All that I did was to save my baby sister. One of my sisters had already been killed before she was even grown because of my father. I could not with a clear conscience allow that to happen again."

"What are you talking about Ari? Sure your father is a bastard, but don't start blaming all of your problems onto him. I'm sure you were messed up long before he got a hold of you," Gibbs retaliates.

"You can hate me for what I have done; just allow me to explain myself before you make your complete judgment of me. Please, Special Agent Gibbs," Ari is desperate for understanding and pleads with Gibbs. Gibbs face is remaining as if it were steel. "Caitlin gave me a chance to explain myself. Surely if she was able to forgive me, then you can at least give me a chance also," Ari tries in a firmer voice.

Gibbs face still remains firm but he finally looks like he is willing to let Ari explain. "You had better start talking fast and this had better be a damn good story."

Ari's face turns to slight awe for he did not expect his counterpart to willingly listen. "Thank you, Gibbs. Just bear with me as I tell this story. It might take a while."

"You've got ten minutes, so you might need to tell the short version," Gibbs says unrelentingly while applying his glare to looking at Ari.

"Alright, I'll tell the shortest version I know," Ari says and then stops abruptly as if to find the perfect words. He finally begins his story by saying, "I did not begin as evil as when you met me. I was actually doing everything according to the Mossad plan. My father however did not like what I was doing; he wanted me to become more than just a mole. He wanted me to form an alliance with the terrorists. I refused him that by saying 'no'. He became livid and decided I needed to be taken care of."

"Wait a minute, so you are trying to tell me that you didn't want this to happen? You are simply an innocent bystander? Come on, Ari. Even you could have come up with a better excuse than that," Gibbs interrupts to say while scoffing.

"I could have come up with a better story if this was not the truth. Now please may I continue on? Maybe by the time I am finished you will realize that I am telling the truth," Ari responds to Gibbs outburst in a way of respectfully telling him to be quiet. Gibbs nods his head and makes a motion with his hands for him to proceed. "Thank you. Now my father had issued for me to be killed by one of Mossad's assassins. At first I was not too worried about this considering I was one myself. But then the assassin came to me and told me of her assignment. I was outraged. I could not believe that he could stoop that low. He was hoping to change my mind.

"When I did not change my mind to create the alliance, he told the assassin that I was to be tailed until the opportunity arose for my life to be taken. She told me that our father was being unrelenting in his demands," Ari states and then looks to Gibbs to ensure he understands all he has said. He realizes a look of quandary on his face instead, and it dawns on him he still has not stated who his would be assassin is. "My assassin was to be Ziva. She was very avidly against killing me so she began to think of ways to help me escape. She had already planned on getting me a new identity and out of the country without my father's knowledge. I knew what would happen however if our father ever found out that she had deceived him. So I began to work on a plan myself. I would make sure that she did not have to choose between her orders or her family."

Gibbs interrupts Ari's story once again, but in a slightly less rude way. "I knew Director David had ordered her to kill you. Why would you want her to kill you though? That seems just a bit farfetched to me, but please continue."

"Well Ziva could never defy a direct order. She has always been very obedient especially to our father. She always wanted him to be proud of her, but she could not kill her only living sibling. She was going to sacrifice all she had worked for in Mossad just to save me. I could not let her do that because I still knew something she did not." Ari takes a moment here to pause in his story to collect his bearings about him for he has become more emotional than one would expect of him. "The all powerful Director of Mossad would not think twice about having someone 'taken care of' for disobeying a direct order. I knew that if he discovered Ziva's betrayal then he would have her killed also. I could not allow that to happen to her. I began to instead become a terrorist in some ways. I had to save my sister."

"So what you are telling me is that you became a terrorist for your sister?" Gibbs says and then starts to chuckle. "Wow, Ari. You really had me going there for a minute until you said that."

"Oh but Agent Gibbs, you still do not understand. My sister was all that I lived for anymore. I could never bear the thought of our father killing her simply because she could not murder me. I had to be as evil as was required so that she could go through with her orders. With every plan I helped with Hamas with, I ensured that there would be an unsolvable problem. I soon discovered news of you from my sister's partner in Morocco. She would tell us stories of her former boss, and I did some investigating and my research led to you. I knew that my plan would not be able to succeed if you were the one investigating. I used you and then I was able to get my sister onto your team." Ari stops to gauge Gibbs' reaction.

"So you met someone who used to be my partner while in Morocco and that somehow resulted in your sister joining my team? How stupid do you think I am, Ari?" Gibbs says.

"Gibbs did I mention who my sister's partner was? I do not believe you would scoff so lightly if you knew the woman of who I speak of. It was your lovely Director Sheppard that I met that day. She told me about you. I knew from her talking that I wanted my sister to become a part of your team. I had a feeling that if she could just have time with your team in America, she would learn what love is. I had also hoped that she might be able to find love. I do not wish for my sister to die alone." Ari again stops to allow Gibbs to add his comments to what he has just said.

"What would possibly make you think that Ziva could find love on my team? I'm said to be the toughest and most bastard-like team leader they have. That hardly falls into the category of love," Gibbs responds in a way just hoping to prove that Ari is lying.

"Well while I spoke with Agent Sheppard at the time, her words and the look in her eyes just conveyed that she had left love when she left you. All I want is for my sister to be alive and well and to be able to find happiness that she has been denied her whole life. I believe she can find that where you and your team are. I am hoping that I did not choose poorly," after Ari says these words he slowly begins to disappear from Gibbs' sight and yet again the scene begins to change.

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**If you have made it to the bottom of the page, I'm going to assume that you have read it. Now please review, it would make my day. **

**P.S.-I will go ahead and apologize ahead of time in case if I don't get the next chapter out immediately. Real life is starting to catch up with me. I have about a month until graduation, and I have doctor's appointments and I'm supposed to start my Physical Therapy this week. So I might be a little slow at updating, I'm hoping I can finish this though. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**I would like to start apologizing profusely right now for not having already had this finished and uploaded, but apologizing is a sign of weakness. We are all friends though right? So I'll say I'm sorry. I would like to say that this probably isn't my best work, so please excuse that. I'm gonna blame everything on real life getting out of hand lately. I mean who expects a 17 year old girl to be able to manage school, work, night classes, physical therapy, and preparations for graduating? But anywho enough complaining. Now on with your reading. Please read and review. :) **

**Oh yeah, almost forgot. I don't own it or else there would be some massive change of events going on.

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**Kelly

Gibbs yet again has to adjust to the change of scenery. This time the scenery seems to be something he is familiar with. He is now standing in his living room; however, it looks more like the house he lived in with Shannon and Kelly. As his surroundings start to connect in his mind, he hears the front door open and close. He turns to where he heard the door close and standing before him is Kelly. "Hi, Daddy."

When he hears his little girl say those words to him, he cannot stop himself from rushing to her. He captures her in a hug in less than ten seconds time. "Kelly, I have really missed you. I love you, baby girl." He does not want to let go of her now that he has the chance to touch her again.

"Dad, I'm going to need you to loosen your hold on me just a little bit. I can barely breathe," Kelly tells him while still hugging him in return. He finally loosens his hold enough so that he can get a better look at her.

"You've really grown up. If I would have just seen you, I would never have been able to recognize you. You have really grown into quite the beautiful woman," he says while choking back the tears that are also starting to cloud his eyes. He pets her hair in the way that only a father can with his little girl.

Kelly slowly starts to cry herself upon seeing her father's tears. "You seem to have aged pretty well yourself," she says with a slight laugh which causes Gibbs to chuckle too. She wipes the tears off of her cheeks. "Now Daddy, you are going to have to stop all of this crying, because I want to be able to talk to you. There are some things that I'm going to need to tell you, and I can't tell you if I'm crying."

At this Gibbs sobers up. He steels his face and blocks the emotions from his face. "Alright, Kel. I'm in control of my emotions now. What is it that we need to talk about?"

"I'm here to help you know that you need to go back to earth. Heaven isn't ready for you yet and you still need to finish some of your living. There is still one person and one thing that you need to go back for."

"Kelly, what do you mean? You and your mother are here, and my team would be able to manage without me. Who is it that everybody keeps telling me to go back for?" Gibbs says with his agitation and confusion obviously showing.

"You need to go back for one particular lady, but I'm not allowed to tell you who it is. I think that she is who you were meant to marry after Mom and I had to leave. The other wives were just fillers until you met her," Kelly says while watching her father's reaction to see if any realization has dawned upon him.

"All of my ex-wives were mistakes. The only woman that I ever married that I loved was your mother. All the others just seemed to pale in comparison of you guys. If I went back, I still wouldn't ever find someone that I could be happy with," he says while making his way to the couch to sit down.

"Daddy, there is one person that you need to go back for. You just can't see it now, but you will. I can't let you stay. I am not supposed to be an only child," Kelly says in a way of pleading with Gibbs that he cannot let his life end this way.

"Kelly, what do you mean you aren't supposed to be an only child? Last time I checked you were the only kid I had. Is there something that I'm missing here?" Gibbs replies while becoming bewildered that he might have ended up missing out on another of his children growing up.

"There hasn't been one as of yet. That is what I have been trying to tell you, you need to go back so you can have those like Gibblets that Abby so wants to see and the ones I have seen in your future. Don't let your life just end because Mom and I aren't there. I want you to go back and really live this time. "

At this statement Gibbs balks in his thoughts. "What do you mean by I haven't really been living? I get up every morning and go to work to keep people safe. I take care of my team and I don't stop for anything. I think that I have done a damn good job of living considering I lost my wife and daughter that I never got to say a proper good-bye to," Gibbs says inadvertently being indignant towards Kelly.

"Daddy, calm down. I'm not saying that what you have done isn't a good thing. I'm simply saying is when was the last time that you actually went on a date and not try to compare the woman to Mom? And don't keep our existence a secret. We were and are a part of who you are, but do not make us into a barrier that no woman could ever scale. Like what happened with Hollis." Gibbs makes a displeased look towards her for mentioning his almost ex-wife. "Now don't you go and start giving me that stare, Daddy. I know what all has happened. You do know that Stephanie was preventable too, right?"

"Kels, is there a reason as to why you keep mentioning all of my exes? If you were going to mention any of my exes, I would figure you would choose to mention Jen instead. That was the only one that I could never compare to you guys, but I blew that and I'm never have a chance to correct that mistake. I don't think I could ever love someone like I ever loved you and your mom, but Jenny did come pretty dang close," Gibbs says exasperatedly.

Kelly comes back over to Gibbs and wraps her arms around his waist and says, "Maybe you just answered your own question about who you should be with. Maybe you should give love and life a second chance, because forgiveness is a gift." Gibbs opens his mouth to question Kelly as to what she meant, but before any words can be formed, Kelly disappears and the scenery begins to fade.

* * *

**Alright now you have reached the end of another chapter. Please give me your opinions. If it is to tell me that Gibbs is out of character, or didn't seem quite right, I'm sorry. It's just that we've never actually known how Gibbs was around Kelly. **

**Oh and for my next chapter. I'm currently working on two options because my muse is playing off of current events on NCIS, and seems to be waffling between two ideas. One idea will involve spoilers if things go according to their suggestive promos. So I figured I would give everybody a heads up. And what has everybody's opinions been of the events in Mexico?  
**


	6. Chapter 6

Okay so I've finally got this next chapter ready. I'm sorry it's taken so long, but after these past couple of months, I was fully prepared to just let Gibbs die. So I had to hold off on writing. But my muse finally came back and wrote this next chapter. I've dealt with broken hip, depression, the passing of my Papaw, and adjusting to true college life since the last time I wrote. Let me know if this chapter could have been better.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned it, there would be more than just a flashback or a passing comment of Jenny. She would still be alive and well.

* * *

**Jenny**

As the scene around him continues to change again, he begins to steel himself for the emotional shift he can feel approaching. The scene around him continues its transformation, but he is so lost in his thought that he doesn't realize that it has focused itself. He is actually in a state of wondering as to who his next person will be when suddenly a loud door slams behind him. The door startles him back to his current reality and forces him to take in his surroundings. At the first glance he realizes he is in the director's office, and his heart nearly drops. Despite what he knows, he has still been hoping he would not see her. He glances over towards her chair, but finds it to be facing towards the window.

The voice finally startles him, but it doesn't come from the chair instead next to the window. "Do you have any idea why I am here?" The sweet voice sounds to be impatient as if she has been left waiting.

"Jen, shouldn't you be the one explaining to me why I'm here? Or at least that's what I was told at the beginning," Gibbs replies back to her. He has prepared himself for her to turn and chastise him for his tone, but the look on her face surprises him.

"Jethro? What are you doing here? You're not dead. I'm only supposed to be talking to people who are dead," Jenny replies while fear starting to lace her words.

Gibbs does not understand the meaning to her words. She has been dead for nearly 2 years now, how is she still visiting the people like he is? "Well I'm not dead yet, but I soon will be unless I find a reason to live for."

"But that doesn't make any sense? Why am I talking to you if you aren't dead? Mom told me when I started that I could only talk to people who had already passed on. Jethro, are you sure you haven't gone and done something stupid to get yourself killed?" she asked while giving him a stare that could never be mistaken for anyone's but hers.

"Me? I run into a building to stop a drug dealer and accidentally get shot, and you call me the stupid one? I'm pretty sure, that I would know if I'm dead by the way," Gibbs responds quite indignantly while raising his voice. He continues to mutter under his breath, "She doesn't tell me about a botched assignment and goes and gets herself killed, but I'm the stupid one. Ha."

"She's dead? Um, excuse me, who are you talking about?" Jen says while having startled him by being right beside him.

"Jeez, Jen, you really shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

"I learned from the best. Now tell me what you were mumbling about just a moment ago," she says while shooting him her best stare. He just stares debating whether to answer or not, but finally relents.

"Well Jen, you died two years ago in the diner so I'm guessing I was talking about you," he replies quite sarcastically.

"What? I didn't die in the diner. I just got injured. I've been in a coma or at least that's what they've told me since I got here. They keep saying I have to make the final decision on whether I want to go back. Wait, two years ago?" she says while realization hits her.

"Jen, you can't still be alive. Ducky performed your autopsy. Mike and I killed Svetlana and then torched your brownstone," Gibbs tells her as a way of gently forcing her to accept her circumstances.

At that Jen walks over to gaze back out the window. "I can't be dead, Jethro. I wasn't ready to die. I was protecting you sure. I'm even willing to die for you, but I didn't. I'm still alive."

Gibbs is beginning to become exasperated at no longer knowing what to say to her. He looks at her before he moves closer to her next to the window. "Jenny, believe me. I wouldn't be telling you that you are dead if you weren't. I have been hoping for two years that you were still alive. It's just not possible. But I sure have missed you, Jen."

At that Jen turns to face him with eyes showing that she remembers the last time he had said those words to her. "God, I wish I had never told you 'no off the job'. That's probably one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made in my life. But Jethro, I'm not dead! There must be something wrong going on here, like maybe a crack in the space time continuum or something."

Gibbs starts to chuckle at how she has said her previous statement. He steps closer yet still to her where if he moved barely just an inch he would be touching her arm. "Okay so let's just assume that your sci-fi McGee perspective on all of this is right, what would have been the problem? How is it that we are both simply in comas and neither one of us is dead? And why was it that we were told you died 2 year ago? It looks like even in our afterlife we might still have a case. Are you ready to play Special Agent Shepard till we can figure this out?"

"Well you always did say that I shouldn't have stopped being an agent, so let's just test out my skills. Where do we start, Boss?" Jenny says with a slight smirk on her face.

Gibbs scowls at her for he knows that he hates it when she calls him boss because he knows it is out of pure sarcasm that she says it. "Okay let's work from the fact that we are both in a coma and the facts that we were told you were dead."

"Okay so I was shot and put into a coma because well I went into the diner alone. I remember right before I lost complete consciousness I heard Leon's voice. Or at least it sounded a lot like him. But I was passing in and out of consciousness for quite a while," she tells him while trying to remember all of the facts for herself.

"Okay, so you passed in and out of consciousness for a while. Do you remember ever hearing Tony or Ziva when they got there?" Gibbs asks her.

Jenny looks at him with a look of pure confusion. "Tony wasn't at the diner. Why would I remember hearing him? The only other person I took to the diner with me was Mike Franks, and I know he didn't let anyone else know he was with me."

"Well DiNozzo and Ziva were the first on the scene to where you were. Tony said they tried to talk to you, but you were completely out of it. Tony had said there was no heartbeat and that Leon showed up not long after that. So what can we decide from that?" he finishes while checking to make sure she is still doing okay with all of the information.

"Well I suffered severe blood loss, so that could explain a low heart rate and the unconsciousness. Maybe someone had let Leon know that I was there. That wasn't exactly the kind of scene that they would want handled by just anyone." She now begins to pace as a way of maybe jumpstarting her thoughts. "And I guess to explain my absence since they didn't know whether or not I would make it through, they simply thought it would be easier for me to be 'dead' from the beginning. That would explain me being in a coma and everyone thinking I'm dead. But why are we meeting up together?"

"Okay so Vance covers up so that way, you can recover. It would make sense for them to have him manage the crime scene to cut back on media. What about Ducky and the autopsy though? And the comas, is going to take some thinking," Gibbs responds before grabbing a hold of Jenny's hand to pull her into a seat to stop her from the pacing she had adopted.

"Maybe Ducky has known all this time, but didn't want to get anyone's hopes up. When we both wake up, we need to go and discuss it with him. Or maybe he never got my body to begin with, did you ever see the body bag for me?" she says with hope shining in her eyes.

"There was a body bag, but I couldn't bring myself to open it. Opening it would have made it that much more real. So I don't know if he did or not," Gibbs admits shamefully.

"Well maybe you should have checked the bag," Jenny tells him and accentuates the sentiment by adding a head-slap. "You might have found out sooner if you would have just unzipped the ba- I think I've figured it out!"

"Figured out what Jen?" he asks being completely perplexed by her exclamation.

"I think I may know why we are here together. Both of us are only in comas, but yet we are supposed to be seeing only those who are dead." He just continues to look at her as if to convey he still does not quite understand where she is going with this train of thought. "Okay, while we are in comas we aren't quite in the world of the living, but yet neither are we in the realm of the dead. We are borderline dead, so we can see the heavenly plane. Do you get where I'm going with this?"

"I think I might be getting some idea. We are deemed 'dead' by the living, but still living to the dead." Gibbs grasps at the explanation.

"Precisely, so we both saw each other. Now all we have to do is figure out how to get back to our bodies. I would really like to not stay in this world of half living, half death anymore. Two years is more than enough for me."

"Well with all of the other people I have encountered while I'm here, they have told me something important to help me decide on what to do when I get back or to go back. Maybe there's still something that the both of us need to do, before we can get back," Gibbs attempts as a reason.

"The same can be true for everyone that I have talked to. So got anything you need to tell me, Jethro?" Jenny jokes with him.

"Well I can start out with saying I'm sorry for not having your six when you needed me the most. I should have known you weren't ready for that op, but I didn't stop it. I should have also have been in that diner with you fixing our mistake," Gibbs says while trying to get closer to Jenny.

"Jethro, there is no apology needed because I could have spoken up. As for the diner, that was my screw-up to clean up. And I owe you an apology as well. I never should have left you in Europe. That is one thing I have regretted more than anything," she finishes while tears start to gather in her eyes.

Gibbs pulls her into his arms. "Hey, what have I told you about breaking my rules? Never apologize; it's a sign of weakness. And look at me." Jenny looks up at his face. "I may have been angry when you left, and when you showed up at NCIS again. I still love you and am just happy that if we can make it back to our world, we might just have another chance."

"Jethro, you have no idea how many years I have wanted to hear you say those words, but thought I had blown any chance. My heart became yours the minute I met you," Jenny laughs around her tears. Jenny reaches up to place her hands on each side of his face and finally leans in to put a kiss on his lips. Before he can even respond, the scene begins to fade around them.

He starts to mumble Jenny's name and opens his eyes to find that he is back to lying in hospital bed. With his entire NCIS team standing there around his bed, save for one.

* * *

A/N: Okay so now, please let me know what you think. The good, the bad, and the ugly all will be accepted. And did anybody else absolutely love this week's episode of NCIS?

Maybe this time it won't take me 6 months to update. I hope...


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the lack of update. My muse keeps running away. I finally got her back after she ran off to do my finals papers for school last semester. She has been revived and is breathing. She took a while to write this chapter. It has been a while, but not nearly 6 months (just 2 and a half). On a person note, I ask that all of you who believe in the power of prayer like I do, to please pray for me. 2 weeks ago my doctor told me I may have to have hip surgery again. *No offense to those who don't believe in a god.*  
**

**Thanks to all readers, reviewers, and alerters. Big thanks to all those who have continually read and reviewed. You keep me writing. And thanks Jen Crocker for pointing out how long it's been since I updated. It made my muse work harder.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS. I own all the DVDs, soundtracks, a Bert the Farting hippo, a cap, and some t-shirts. The show itself, not so much. Because I would be making a few changes. Like Jenny would be alive. Jibbs, Tiva, and McAbby would all be realities.  
**

**

* * *

The Real World**

As Gibbs looks around, his mind still has not gotten fully back to the real world. He asks, "Where's Jenny? She should be here."

Everybody just looks at each other. Nobody knows what to say. Abby is the first to say anything. "Gibb, do you have amnesia again? Do you remember all of us?" She chokes back tears of fear that he has forgotten her again. Ducky lightly pats Abby's shoulder to calm her growing hysterics.

"Come here, Abbs," Gibbs says while motioning her over. She approaches the bed fighting back her sniffles. He reaches his arm up to pull Abby down to hug him. "Abby, I don't plan on ever forgetting you again." Then he kisses her on the cheek.

"We are in the year 2010, right? Wait, how long was I out for?" Gibbs asks realizing he has no way of tracking how long he was unconscious.

Tony decides he will step forward no and give Abby a break from talking to him. "Boss, so far so good. We are in 2010, and you've been out for about a week."

At the statement from Tony, Gibbs stops to think of them all being there. "Tell me you haven't all been here since I went into a coma? This wouldn't be a very good way for the team to remain operational," Gibbs booms in his 'boss-voice'.

"Oh no, Gibbs. We've been working in shifts. Two of us are always here in case if you woke up and then the rest were at work and then at lunch we all stop by and see you which happened to be a lucky thing today since we all got to be here when you woke up McGee and Palmer were the two here before lunch and then we were going to switch shifts but now we can all just stay for a little while and we don't have to worry anymore!"

"Abby, take a breath. My mind is not completely back up to paying attention that fast. Anybody want to repeat and tell me what she just said?" Gibbs laughs while looking around at his dysfunctional family.

"I think what Abby was trying to say is that we have all been continuing to work. We have taken shifts to ensure you would not wake up alone. Palmer and McGee had been here before lunch, when we all stopped by to check on you. That is when you awoke and were calling out for Jenny. Which you did not explain," is Ziva's interpretation of what Abby has said.

Now is Tony's turn to look at Gibbs with confusion for he has forgotten about Gibbs asking for Jenny. "Boss, why did you ask after Jenny? She's been gone for two years. What went on in that head of yours while you were out?" Tony chuckles while fearing Gibbs injuring him.

There is a swift moment of eye contact exchanged between Ziva and Gibbs that goes unseen by Tony. The next thing everyone notices is a loud smacking sound through the room. Tony rubs the back of his head, turns to Ziva, and asks, "What was that for?"

"Do not look at me. Gibbs is the one who told me to do it," Ziva retaliates while glaring at Tony.

"Gibbs didn't even say anything. How did he tell you to smack my head?" Tony protests while giving Ziva an equally heated stare.

"Tony, shut up. Ducky, why don't you go find my doctor or a nurse or something so they can know that I'm awake. I'm actually surprised they haven't already come in here because of all the noise," Gibbs tells the entire team in a sense of finality.

The team stands in quiet around his bed afraid of him getting out the bed and head-slapping them all. Ducky returns a few minutes later with a nurse in tow. "I see you have scared them all into silence, Jethro. Quite an impressing feat. This reminds of a time when-"

"Duck, I'm sure it is a great story, but let's just save it for another time," Gibbs butts in to save them all from hearing another rambling story. The team all laugh at Gibbs way of stopping Ducky.

The nurse decides that she needs to do tests. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need you all to step out into the hall so I can check everything." Abby begins to protest, but before she can say anything the nurse holds her hand up to stop her and continues, "You will be allowed back in here as soon as I finish."

They all resign themselves to their fate and walk out of the door. They all make it out except for Ducky who turns around to stay, but Gibbs shoos him on out the door. Ducky softly closes the door behind him. The team agrees they will all trek down to the snack room for Abby needs a Caf-Pow! and Tony is complaining about wanting something to eat. Ducky informs them that he will stay next to the room and come to retrieve them when the nurse is finished.

After nearly a half hour in the snack room, Abby is starting to get antsy and worried about the exam taking too long. "Guys, I'm going back. I can't stand this waiting."

They all get up and proceed to Gibbs' room. Upon return they see Ducky talking to a doctor. Ducky motions for them to go on into the room. A few moments later after they have all gotten settled including Ducky, Gibbs clears his throat to start talking.

"Alright guys, I'm finally going to answer your previous question. In order for me to tell it I don't want any interruptions. If you have questions, just hold them until I ask. Got it?" The team all nod to Gibbs' instructions as if they have a choice.

"Okay good. While I was in my coma, I believe I had an out of body experience. Not like I was hovering over my body, but more ethereal. When I got there, I first saw Shannon. Any questions yet?" He pauses in his talking; not honestly expecting questions, but Abby slightly elevates her hand.

"Was that the reason why you called her name when we first got here? Because I thought I was just hallucinating at first. But you really did say her name?" Abby says in a manner of she has been vindicated.

"Quite possibly. I did see and talk to her first."

Abby nods her head in acknowledgment of his words. Tony, however, interrupts to say, "You saw her first? You saw more than one person?"

Gibbs just glares at Tony, before he can tell someone to head-slap Tony; Abby hits Tony on the back of his head. "DiNozzo, do not interrupt. Shannon was the first of five people that I saw. I was in some sort of limb and had the choice whether to come back to earth or go on to heaven with Shannon. Before she would let me though, she said I had to go and talk to all five people."

Gibbs looks around to see if everyone understands him so far. By the looks on their faces, he feels it is safe to continue. "Shannon tells me I still need to come back because my team needs me. Next, I saw Kate. She told to relax some of my rules, accenting on Rule #12 which I am considering. Ziva, she also told me that she has forgiven Ari."

Ziva looks at him in disbelief. "How could she forgive Ari? He shot and killed her in cold blood."

Gibbs reaches out and places his hand lightly on Ziva's. "That leads me to the next person. Next, I talked to Ari. Ziva, you should forgive him. Everything he did was for you. It may seem impossible, but it was the truth. He only wanted to make sure you would be somewhere safe away from Eli. He said Jenny had talked about me, and he wanted you with my team so you could experience love of a family. He didn't want you to die at the hands of Eli for not fulfilling your mission."

Ziva has begun to cry. "I do not know if I can believe that. It is truly touching and I hope that it was true. I hated to believe my big brother was a complete bastard."

Gibbs comforts her for a few minutes and looks around at them to see if any were confused. "Any questions?"

"Boss, how did the people get decided for you to talk to? It seems really random for the order," McGee speaks up. He makes eye contact with Gibbs for just a moment before he feels he should lower his gaze.

"I was told that everyone I saw would be someone from my life that needed to tell me something. The people were arranged in the importance of what they needed to tell me. Shannon was to tell me the ground rules. Kate was to set me up for the rest. Ari was a way of me to forgive. The next one was Kelly." McGee just nods his head cautiously for he was worried about Gibbs' next train of thought on his story.

"Kelly was there to tell me to come back. She refused to let me stay. Over and over again she kept telling me that there was one person in particular that I needed to come back for. She told me that she was never supposed to be an only child, and that I was the only one who could make her a big sister. She said Abby should see the Gibblets she wants to see, and Kelly has already seen them in the future. Any questions now?" he looks around and sees Abby smirking. Palmer is completely perplexed. "What's got you confused Palmer?"

"Um, what exactly is a Gibblet? I'm not familiar with that," Palmer slowly stammers out. Everybody around him laughs for they are remembering when Abby had told Gibbs and Jenny that they make cute Gibblets. "Okay, now I know I'm missing something."

"Gibblets is the term that Abby coined for my kids should I have any. And apparently Kelly had been eavesdropping and has adopted the term as well." All that is heard from Palmer is a very quiet mumble of 'oh'.

"Kelly then started to insult my dating record. Hell, she even brought up Hollis. The last person she mentioned to me was Jenny and she told me maybe I should try for a second chance."

Tony yet again interrupts, "Not insulting Kelly here, but she does realize Jenny is dead right?" Even though he has spoken the words, Tony still flinches from the memory of that day in his head.

"I'm getting to that DiNozzo. The next person I saw was Jenny. Who argued with me for quite a while on whether she was actually dead. She even accused me of doing something stupid and getting myself killed and she had been waiting for a while for me to show up. I found out she has been in a coma for the past two years instead of actually dead," Gibbs then looks at Tony waiting for Tony's upcoming comment.

"How did we think she was dead? I checked for a pulse and didn't find one. Gibbs, this doesn't make sense," Tony exclaims and begins to shake his head.

"Tony, she had lost a lot of blood from the shoot-out. It is possible that he heart rate was extremely faint which our theory is. We think that Vance has known this whole time, but wasn't at liberty to disclose her status. Our one question was how did Ducky not know if she was dead?" Gibbs says while shooting a look towards Ducky.

"I never got her body. I opened up the bag that was to contain her body, but it was someone else. Mr. Palmer searched all the bags, but none were her. I informed Director Vance, but he said this would be better. He said someone else could perform the autopsy so I would not be emotionally upset about having to look into such a dear friend. I should have questioned that. If I would have just questioned him more, we might have known sooner. I am so sorry Jethro. Do we know where Jennifer is?" Ducky finishes with a flourish.

"I don't know Duck. All I can say for sure is that she is still out there, and I need your help. All of your help to find her. Now that I have faith that she is out there, I can't just let her stay out of my life," he responds while glancing around at his team to let them know he is serious.

This is finished by a chorus of "You've got it, Boss" and "On it, Boss." Abby gets up and hugs Gibbs again and whispers "Don't worry. We'll find her. This is something we won't give up on."

"One thing guys, we can't let Vance know about this project. Wherever Jen is, I hope she's going to be waking up and coming back. This is to be a completely silent mission. Is that understood?"

There is a chorus of "Yes" and several nodded heads. Gibbs looks at their intent faces and knows he will get Jenny back. Now the search begins.

* * *

**Thanks for reading. I hope it wasn't as bad as I felt it was. Review and tell me what you thought. :) Even if you want to tell me it sucked. **

**P.S.- is anybody else excited about this week's episode? I'm thinking that mandatory psych evaluations is going to be great. It makes my inner Psychologist very happy.  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Alrighty, back again for another installment. Anybody else happy that it's only been exactly a month and not longer? Sorry it was so long. I had meant to have it up sooner, but well my English class had to come first. I hope you all like this chapter. This idea just kind of hit me up beside the head while I was watching "Model Behavior". That sentence fills . THANKS to everyone who reviewed/alerted/favorited this story. :) It honestly made me feel like I was at least doing one thing right. :)  
**

**A/N-Do I own NCIS? Last time I checked I didn't, but since you asked I'll check again. *scurries to look* Nope still don't own it.**

**P.S. - I make references to them having an active case, but it seriously doesn't have a name or face of victim in my head, I just needed a reason for Gibbs to be upset, so don't look for anything really about a case.**

**Now READ and ENJOY!  
**

* * *

**Futile Looking  
**

Their search for Jenny has begun, but three months in with nothing to be said for their looking. The team has tried everything. Tony and Ziva have searched every hospital in California and D.C. for any Jennifer Sheppards. Their search has repeatedly come up with nothing. After this they have been searching all hospitals in America that may have a Jennifer Sheppard. Again they bear no results. The search has now broadened to anyone who resembles Jenny according to the time of admittance and still nothing.

While Tony and Ziva are looking at the hospitals, McGee has been trying to track the Navy's accounts to see if they are funding her recovery. His search is also turning up nothing. McGee has no idea what to do anymore.

Finally Tony cracks. Looking up from his computer he proclaims, "This has to stop. We have been searching for three months, and we have nothing, nada, zilch. Let's just chalk this whole notion up to Gibbs having a really bizarre drug induced dream."

"Tony, do you want to tell Gibbs that you have just given up? I am not going to be the one to say anything to him," Ziva protests to Tony's suggestion. She continues on to say, "It may seem quite bizarre, but it does make some logical sense." Ziva walks around her desk so they can continue their discussion in lower tones.

"I agree with Ziva. It may be abnormal, but there is some sense in it. I vote we continue to trust Gibbs," McGee throws in while glancing towards them and then continues to type on his computer.

"Guys, she can't still be alive. I'm sure he makes logical sense to you, but it's just not possible. Ziva, we were there at the diner wouldn't we know if she was still alive?" Tony retorts, still trying to woo them to his thinking.

"I'm not going to continue in this conversation. Every time we disagree with something Gibbs says, he usually magically appears," McGee tells them while receding to his computer work refusing to even look when Tony starts to throw paper balls at him.

"I am certain that if she was dead, his gut would tell him his 'experience' was just a dream, would it not? I am not going to question that possibility of Jenny still being alive. When Gibbs gives up hope, then I shall as well," Ziva replies and glances around to see if Gibbs is around and overhearing their conversation.

"So are we supposed to just keep letting him believe in this fantasy he's created for himself? It's starting to make me wonder about his sanity and stability," Tony says while once again capturing McGee's attention.

McGee looks up at Tony and cocks his head to the side as if pondering something Tony has said. Finally McGee speaks to say, "If I didn't know any better Tony, I would say that you are worried about Gibbs. That really wouldn't do too well if Gibbs were to find out that."

"Find out what, McGee?" Gibbs asks while walking past the three of them to go behind his own desk. He sets his perpetual cup of coffee down on his desk before sitting and turning towards his computer.

"That we will be losing work time tomorrow as per Director Vance's orders," Ziva fills in for McGee since he looks as if he might just start stuttering.

"And the reason being what exactly, David?" Gibbs brusquely asks while getting up from his desk while looking towards Vance's office.

Ziva begins to speak, but abruptly stops trying to remember the reasoning. "He said something about there being an award ceremony of sorts tomorrow. He said that it was to be D.C. office completely mandatory."

"Like hell it is." At that Gibbs storms out of the bullpen towards the stairs and essentially Vance's office.

Tony looks over at his fellow agents before looking back towards upstairs just as the door upstairs slams. "Well that went well."

"What the hell is this that I hear about losing work time tomorrow, Leon?" Gibbs asks while slamming into Vance's office without knocking first.

"Nice to see you too, Gibbs. Now what are you asking about?" Vance says looking up from the file he was looking over.

"I was just informed that my agents are being forced to attend a mandatory award ceremony tomorrow. I would like to know why I'm losing my team tomorrow," Gibbs replies while giving Vance his signature stare.

"Well Gibbs, it is not just mandatory for your team, but you as well. It is mandatory for all agents at the D.C. office to be there tomorrow. I expect to see you there as well," Vance calmly responds not even acknowledging Gibbs' stare.

"There are cases that need to be solved, Leon. We can't all just take time off from work for people to be given pats on the backs for doing their damn job," Gibbs lastly replies and just before he can turn and slam out of the door, Vance calls out.

"Agent Gibbs, you will be there tomorrow or else I will consider that as your resignation. I was hoping it wouldn't come down to this. I am giving you a direct order to be there tomorrow Gibbs. As I recall one of those people getting a pat on the back tomorrow is you."

"It's not like I want the damn thing. And are you really going to play that card, Leon? You would rather me be sitting in a ceremony being praised for doing my job than to actually be doing it? That seems like a great idea," Gibbs bites back and continues to stare at Vance in a menacing way.

"I have faith that your team won't be too fazed by an hour or two break in their investigation. Who knows they might just find inspiration while being there," Vance says with a slight smirk on his face.

"If that is all Director, may I get back to my team so we can get some work finished today?" With that final statement Gibbs storms out of the office and proceeds to the bullpen.

He looks around at his team and can feel his temper beginning to boil. "I'm going for coffee, and when I get back you had better have some answers for me since tomorrow not much work will be getting done." At this he heads to the elevator leaving his team just staring at his retreating form.

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**Okay, now that you have read it, I'm assuming since you've made it to the bottom, inspire me and tell me what you thought. :) Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! Look another chapter! This is definitely the longest one. Twice as long as the others. I hope you all like this. This chapter had the inspiration from "Model Behavior". I hope that it runs together really well. My mind furiously wrote this and wouldn't stop. I liked it and I hope that you all do as well. Just leave me a message saying what you thought. Sorry if anything seems out of character or a little off. This is how I saw things going in my head. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. Jenny would still be alive, Kate would probably still be dead (sorry), McGee and Abby would definitely be together, there would be more Fornell and Mike Franks time. **

**Thanks to all who are reading, alerting, and reviewing! All make me immensely happy! =D  
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**Now is the time for you to READ, ENJOY, and REVIEW!  
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Ceremonies and Endings  
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The next morning the gang is all at work bright and early to avoid pissing Gibbs off, even Tony who would prefer still being in bed. Gibbs has left the office saying something about coffee. Ziva is at her desk on the phone with an informant while McGee is doing his thing with the computer. Tony is holding his head as if the paper work is going to kill him, when Abby suddenly bounds in to the squadroom.

"So Timmy, do you think that Gibbs will show up to the awards ceremony today?" Abby cheerily asks while propping herself in front of McGee's desk.

"I believe he might just show up today, I just have this feeling that he will be there," McGee says while nodding his head as if he is trying to reaffirm this possibility to himself.

Abby starts to chuckle and then smiles. "McGee, you seem very firm in that, are you willing to make a little wager with me?"

"What kind of wager are we talking?"

Abby bobs her head back and forth in a manner of thinking. Finally she says, "How about loser makes the other dinner? I won't swindle you out of money this time."

McGee just stares at her while trying to decide. He finally nods his head, "Alright I can agree to that. One condition on the dinner, it can't be something instant straight from a box. It has to be a fully cooked meal by scratch. Deal?"

Abby nods her head and sticks her hand out. "That is a deal I can take since you will be the one making me dinner."

Tony is eavesdropping on McGee and Abby's conversation and turns to Ziva. "How about we make a wager too, Zee-vah? I mean, what's the harm in having a little bet going on?"

Ziva looks at Tony as if he might be losing his mind. While she mulls it over, she starts to think it might be fun. "Alright, Tony, what would the ante be?"

"I'm saying loser pays for drinks at McMurphy's for a month. That sound like decent terms for you?" Tony says while raising an eyebrow at Ziva.

Ziva stops to ponder this for a few moments. She gets the look of revelation on her face and declares, "I have a better idea. Loser pays for one night of drinks at McMurphy's and dinner at Palena." The look on her face is one of pure challenge.

"That sounds agreeable. Be prepared to pay for dinner. One night of drinks and dinner says that Gibbs doesn't show to the ceremony today. Deal?" Tony sticks his arm out to shake hands and affirm the bet.

"Deal."

"I can't wait for this dinner at Palena, especially since I won't be paying."

"Is that a fact DiNozzo? While you were contemplating dinner, did you also solve this case?" Gibbs says and smacks Tony on the back of the head.

"Actually Boss, we are still working on getting some of the knots worked out of it," Tony sputters out at the same time he is rubbing the back of his head.

"Well you only have until 1300 today to have me something I can work with. Abby, shouldn't you be down in the lab trying to find me some information on the evidence?" Gibbs snaps at Abby who is still standing propped on McGee's desk.

"Yes, El Jefe. I'll get right back to my lab to find you some proof," Abby says while snapping a short salute and sauntering back to her lab.

At 1300 everyone is gathered for the ceremony. Vance has given out most of the awards. The members of the MCRT are looking around to find Gibbs whom they have yet to see. Their looking has led them to overlook him standing in the corner furthest from the door after he has snuck in late.

Abby nudges McGee, "Looks like you are going to be making me dinner. When do you think would be best?"

"I haven't lost yet. He could still show up," McGee says in what Abby believes is complete naiveness.

Meanwhile, a similar conversation is happening between Ziva and Tony. "Tony, there is still a possibility that he will show down."

"Show up," Tony corrects and then proceeds when she gives him a stare of confusion. "Gibbs could still show up, not down. That's sweet that you believe he will still show up."

"The ceremony is not over yet," Ziva growls from between her teeth.

"Ziva, they don't have many more awards to give out. I think that Gibbs might actually be the only one left. I might want to go ahead and get my speech out that I've prepared," Tony finishes while fishing for the paper in his pocket.

At this point, Vance looks up and announces, "Now this last award, I will not be giving. There is someone here who has requested to be given that privilege, seeing as to how they were always denied before."

Now Vance motions towards someone standing beside the door. Everybody turns around save for Gibbs who is still standing uninterested in the corner knowing the award is his. The rest of the team can hardly contain their shock as well as half of the room, but some do not realize who is walking to the podium.

"I've waited quite a few years to be allowed to give this particular person an award. I really want to know what your trick was, Director." Upon the speaker beginning, Gibbs eyes shoot up to the front of the room. "I would like to present Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs with the Meritorious Civilian Service medal. Would you come up here, Special Agent Gibbs?"

Slowly he begins to walk to the front of the room and accept his award as the room explodes into applause. Over the clapping he whispers in her ear, "You know this is the first one of these that I've ever accepted, Jen?"

Vance steps back up to center stage, "Thank you all for taking time out of your day to come here. Now let's get back to protecting our country." After Vance finishes with his words of dismissing, the room emptied except for the MCRT.

Abby is the first to be able to move. Gibbs is lost staring at Jenny when Abby comes rushing up and practically tackles Jenny to get her into a bone-crushing hug. "I really want to know how it's possible that you are standing here but I'm afraid that if I ask then this will all be a dream and that you will still be dead speaking of which why did we think you were dead and where have you been hiding all this time because you've had all of us upset especially Bossman though he tried not to show it but we could tell and then he got hurt a few months ago and fell into a coma and woke up saying that you were still alive and made us start looking for you."

"Abs, breathe. Jethro, I think we need to have a talk, privately," Jenny says while continuing to look at Gibbs. "Leon, could we steal your office for a little while?"

"Anything you need Jenny. I've got some meetings that I need to go and take care of first, and I will call to let you know when I'm headed back."

"Thank you Leon," Jenny says while grabbing Gibbs hands and pulling him towards the door. "Guys, don't worry, I'll be back. There are just some things that need to be sorted out first."

Now Gibbs snaps back into his boss form and issues orders, "Go back to your desks and finish solving the case." At that Jenny and he leave the room and head to the director's office.

"It's good to see you alive and well, Jen. I was starting to think I had imagined you still being alive," Gibbs says while pulling Jenny towards him all during the process of shutting and locking the office door.

"Did we really have a meeting through comas? That just seems too absurd to be true, forget I said anything," Jenny says while pulling away and heading towards the couch.

Gibbs follows behind to join her on the couch. "Well if you were just having a dream, then I was too. I vividly remember seeing you while I was unconscious."

Jenny is taken aback by his words. "So I wasn't just dreaming when I saw and talked to you? You were really there too?"

"Jen, Abby wasn't lying when she said that I woke up from my coma like a man on fire. I knew you were out there somewhere and I planned on finding you. Where have you been since then because we couldn't find any trace of you?" he says while reaching out to grab her hand and running his hand along her cheek in a manner of reaffirming she is there.

"The minute we split ways I woke up in a private nursing home in California. Sure enough it had been two years since I had been awake. Right then, I knew I had to get back to D.C. and to you," she replies while squeezing his hand.

"We looked for you every free minute we had. We searched every medical facility in the United States and none of them had someone matching your name. How could we possibly have overlooked you?"

Jenny starts to laughs. "I thought you would think to look beyond my actual name, Jethro. They had me under the name Jacqueline Rousseau so if I woke up, and didn't realize the time they could make me believe I was still in Europe ten years ago until someone could get to me. Luckily I woke up remembering a lot."

"So I should have been looking for your overseas op alias?" Jenny just nods at him. He shakes his head. "That never even occurred to me."

"Don't you dare start beating yourself up over that. I'm sure you would have thought of it sooner or later. It's just been three months, and in that time I've got to get back on my feet and arrange my grand return," she says while running her hands over his face in a calming fashion.

At her initial touch his eyes shoot to hers, and he rubbed his face against her hand. Then a thought occurs to Gibbs. "How long have you had your grand entrance planned?"

Jenny stops and glances towards the ceiling as she is thinking. Finally she answers, "Leon and I had began planning it about a month ago."

Gibbs' look of complete shock is comical to her. "Wait how long has Leon known that you were still out there? Did he find out after you woke up or before?"

"I am told that he has known from the very beginning. He was the one to start the emergency plan for my survival." Jenny pats Gibbs' cheek. "It's okay. I've been well cared for and am here all in one piece."

The look on Gibbs' face is one that can only be described as supreme annoyance. "You mean for the past two years while my team has been grieving, he has known it was all in vain? Vance knew you were still out there and he let Tony drive himself crazy with guilt over not protecting you enough and being the reason that you weren't coming back home? He let me believe I-"

At this his words are cut off by Jenny sealing his mouth with her own. When she feels that the kiss has enough time to interrupt his tirade she pulls away. She rests her forehead against his. "Jethro, if Leon hadn't done this, then we wouldn't be here now, and any chance of us every getting together would be completely shot to hell. Just be thankful I'm here now and let this go. Please?"

"Okay, I'll let it go just because I'm so glad that my coma wasn't all just a dream. You are real and here," he finishes while pulling her tighter into his arms.

"We should probably get back to your team soon or they might go crazy," Jenny says while getting up off the couch yanking Gibbs up with her.

Gibbs chuckles. "Might go crazy? You've been gone too long. They were always crazy." At his admission of his team aloud, they both laugh and Jenny tucks his arm making him move towards the door.

As Jenny is pulling the door opens she stops and turns to him, "Do we know if Ducky knew if I was alive? Did he perform the 'autopsy'?" Her face shows complete confusion and possible hurt.

"No. He didn't know. There had been a mix-up in autopsy. The bag that we all thought was yours wasn't. Ducky said that he went through all the bags and never found yours. When he went to Vance, Vance just told him that it would hit too close to home so your autopsy was to be taken care of out of house." At finishing his explanation, he pulls her back closer to his side and kisses the temple of her head and runs his hand through her long hair.

They arrive back downstairs to see the team including Abby, Palmer, and Ducky just sitting around waiting. When Abby sees them she jumps up and rushes towards them. She nearly tackles Jenny again in trying to hug her. "Abby didn't we already get through the tackle hugs? I can barely breathe," Jenny struggles to say for Abby's arms are tight around her neck.

Abby slightly leans back for realizing that Jenny is gasping for breathe. "No, the tackle hugs aren't over with yet. We thought you were dead! I can't just act like nothing has happened. The tackle hugs might never end!"

Jenny rolls her eyes at this announcement before answering the outburst. "Well that might make work a little hard then. I'm going to need my room to breathe, and you won't be allowed into MTAC when I have classified ops." Everyone is staring wide-mouthed not completely grasping what has just been saying.

"Jenny are you saying that you are going to be director again?" Ziva asks breaking the shock induced silence.

Jenny nods her head, "That is precisely what I am saying Ziva. I've spent the past month trying to catch up on the comings and goings so that I could make the smoothest transition possible back into the director's chair."

No one is more shocked than Gibbs who is floundering to find words. Flabbergasted by the fact she makes the announcement in front of the team instead of to him in private first. Tony cuts in before any words can leave Gibbs' mouth, "So no more of the toothpick? You will be back, and the yelling matches with the door slamming?"

The group erupt into laughter at Tony's thought process. Jenny answers him when the laughter dies down a little. "Vance will be moving back to the role of Assistant Director and will be around occasionally. He's going to be here for the next little while until I am completely settled. And hopefully there won't be more yelling matches or door slamming. I'm hoping Jethro has grown up more than that in the past two years," she finishes up while shooting a glare at Gibbs.

"Tough chance of that happening," Tony mutters before thinking. The next thing he realizes there is a hand connecting with the back of his head. "Thanks, Boss."

"Well Jennifer, it is truly a joy to have you back, if you don't mind my asking, where have you been all this time?" Ducky inquires.

Jenny stops, takes a breath, and thinks of her absence. She finally begins to speak, "I have been in California. I don't know where I was originally at, but I know that three months ago I woke up from a two year coma in a private nursing home."

Now is McGee's turn to ask a question. "How could we possibly have not found you? I searched and never turned up anything. No hospitals or medical facilities had record of having you in residence."

Jenny looks at McGee with a look of concern for his distress. "Tim, calm down. You wouldn't have been able to find me by looking up my name. I was added under an alias, which Jethro should have thought of. Not saying he is to blame because no one is. I'm actually kind of glad that none of you saw me while I was in my coma or after I first woke up." All those around her begin to protest at the same time. She simply puts her hand up to quiet them down and continues, "If you had seen me in a coma, you would have felt guilty about not being the one in the bed instead. When I was getting back to the point of operating fully, I was a total mess. I prefer you guys never see me that vulnerable and weak."

Gibbs leans into her and whispers a little menacingly in her ear and is overheard by the others, "I would not have cared. Knowing you were still alive and breathing would have been enough for me." This is finished off with a chorus of "Me toos" and "Yeahs".

Jenny cannot stop the tears in her eyes from starting to run down her cheeks. She pulls away from Gibbs so she can pull the others into a group hug. They all just stand there for a little while basking in the knowledge that they are all together again. Finally Gibbs decides to crash the party, "Guys, obviously we aren't going to get anymore work done, so let's pack it up for the evening."

Abby is the first to protest this, "But Gibbs we just got Jenny back! We can't just go home now! What if something happens?"

"Abs, everybody needs to go home and get some sleep. Jenny will be here tomorrow and nothing is going to happen to her tonight. I'll take her home with me and keep her safe," Gibbs tells her.

"Okay, don't let her disappear again. We can't live through that again," Abby pouts in her best little girl voice.

After hugs are reissued, and the team leaves, Jen turns on Gibbs. "I'm going home with you am I? When did we decide on that?"

Gibbs just chuckles and pulls her in closer to him. "Well consider Mike and I burned down your brownstone, I thought it was only common courtesy to offer you my house."

Jenny laughs at his logic, but replies, "Well I like to see that chivalry isn't dead. Come on and take me home already, marine."

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**Now you have reached the end of the chapter, I have a question that I would love to have answered. Do I write an epilogue and tell you what happens in my head, or do I leave it here for you to decide what you think happens next? I've read books before that is ruined by the epilogue, and I don't want that to happen here. Please let me know what you think. **

**In case this is the last, thank you all for your support, it's helped me more than you will ever know. This past year has been hard, but thanks to you guys, I've been better than I expected. **

**Oh and happy early St. Patrick's Day! Don't forget to wear green! haha. **

**Review time.  
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	10. Chapter 10

**So guys, if you are still following, I know I promised an epilogue a long time ago, but I finally wrote one. Here's how I could possibly see the gang being a few years down the road, if you don't like it and it ruins the story for you, then act like it never happened. I know sometimes authors can write epilogues and ruin the story, so I will be happy if you don't like it. Just let me know how you saw everything ending if you thought I should have done something differently or if you liked it, let me know that too. Without further ado, this is my end to the "Five People You Meet in Heaven"...**

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**Epilogue**

It's been five years since they got Jenny back. It's been four and a half since the world gained its newest and last Mrs. Leroy Jethro Gibbs. They took a two week honeymoon where they decided to take a road trip from civilization where they could just be Jenny and Jethro. They went to the Southwest United States. It seemed strange to the team for the location choice, but the happy couple had always wanted to see the Grand Canyon together and thought a tour of some of the deserts would be a good way to commemorate Jenny "dying" in a desert. It has been four years since Mike Franks passed away. His dying in the line of duty that was no longer his duty to do was the only way he would have wanted out of life. It has been three and a half years since Jenny broke the news to Jethro. She told him she was pregnant.

It's been three years since Jenny brought a real Gibblet into the world. It was a beautiful little girl which they named Jocelyn Marie. They had to make sure her name started with a "J" like theirs. Today is little Jocelyn's third birthday party. At first it just seems like a basic family party, but this party is so much more. Once onlookers look past the Strawberry Shortcake decorations, they realize that this is not an ordinary family. The father is old enough to be the birthday girl's grandfather, but still has energy to play with his daughter who is quite the "Daddy's Little Girl". The mother is a full-time career woman but if her little girl needs her, she is right there. Everyday Jocelyn comes to work with Jenny and is never left with anyone but family. Her favorite place to go to is Auntie Ziva's desk if Jenny is busy. Ziva shares just stories about one of Jocelyn's parents or both.

But at Jocelyn's party today her family is all there: Aunties Ziva and Abby and Uncles Tony, Tim, and Ducky. Abby and McGee are together after several years of their jealousy, flirting, and close work space. At this time McGee is trying to calm his nerves to ask Abby to marry him. Ducky is betting he asks her this weekend, and something says Ducky will win this pool.

Tony and Ziva are still flirting around each other, but teasing only lasts for so long. They can also no longer use Rule #12 as a defense since its end. A rule cannot last when Gibbs married his boss. What nobody knows is that an assignment is about to come along and bring them together for good.

Right now the birthday girl is excitedly telling Ducky a story about her week. Her quite animated stories put some of Ducky's better stories to shame. While most of the family is in the yard at the picnic table, Jenny and Gibbs are on the porch watching their family interact.

"Can you believe that's our little girl?" Jenny asks while burrowing into her husband's arms. "It seems like just yesterday, I was still waiting for her to arrive."

"As I recall you were also yelling at me and threatening to castrate me when she was arriving, "Gibbs says with a chuckle when Jenny lightly punches him.

"Lucky for you, you were wearing a cup. But I didn't mean that exact moment. I was referring to the entire nine months," Jenny counters while Gibbs rubs the spot where she hit him. After seeing Gibbs act like a big baby, Jenny leans over and kisses the spot she hit on his arm. At this mock sign of affection Gibbs pulls Jenny's face to his for a kiss.

"You know I love you, right? There's nothing I would ever want more than this," Gibbs says while gesturing towards Jocelyn who is now trying to get Tony to listen to her story.

Jenny chuckles and leans in to whisper in Gibbs' ear, "So you don't want more kids?"

Gibbs just shakes his head "no". "If we were to have more than Jocelyn then we would have. It just wasn't meant to happen for us," Gibbs replies while putting a soft kiss on her lips.

Jenny lightly laughs and grabs his hand and pulls it to her lower stomach. Gibbs looks at her like she is going crazy. She simply laughs again and whispers in his ear, "We've been a little careless of late, and Jocelyn is going to be a big sister."

At this announcement Gibbs crushes Jenny to him in a mind-blowing kiss and says, "I love you so much."

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**Alright, it's been a fun ride guys, you have finally reached the true end of my story. Not to nag, but how about one last review for the road? Thanks guys, I've really enjoyed it. Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and alerts. I hope that we can do this with another story later. :)**


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